


12 AM Wishes

by midnightmoonlace



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Birthday, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Sad Louis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,688
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7765471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightmoonlace/pseuds/midnightmoonlace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Squeezing his eyes shut, he grasped his hands together. Feeling like he was 10 again, he realised how long it has been since he made a wish.</p><p> </p><p>  <i>I wish that I could tell Harry how much I love him. Maybe if I did, I wouldn’t be spending my birthday alone now. So, please, I wish for the chance to say the three words I’ve been wanting to say for as long as I’ve met him.</i></p><p> </p><p>He opened his eyes.</p><p>--<br/>Louis and Harry have an unspoken promise to spend each other's birthdays together no matter what. But slowly, as the years drift past, they become more and more distant, this tradition put to the side. This year, Harry promises to make it up to Louis. So why is Louis still left alone on his birthday?</p>
            </blockquote>





	12 AM Wishes

Louis wished his watch was wrong.

Anything than the ache in his heart that began to expand little by little, as the seconds trickled by.

He was currently sitting in front of his table, apartment empty and dark. Only a single light was on, the one that illuminated his current position. That, and the little candle in front of him. It was a thin pink one, a very cliche birthday candle that was currently stuck in a small cupcake. One of the many cupcakes he was supposed to eat with Harry. Now, he guessed not.

The silence was deafening, and it was almost as if he could hear the ticking of the second hand on his watch. He had smashed his clock a couple hours before in a fit of despair. Now it lay in several broken pieces on the carpet.

Glancing down at his phone, he felt a sharp pang in his chest, because the screen still remained dark. It had been dark for the past two hours. Dejectedly, he punched his thumb onto the home button, watching his screen light up dimly, the numbers glaringly obvious.

**23:55**

Just 5 more minutes until midnight, five minutes before everything he had hoped for would crumble into ashes and dust. He remembered vaguely how excited he’d been, because after a long and hectic schedule, they had finally earned two weeks of peace.

_“Hey, so I’m finally free! Want to meet up this weekend to celebrate?”_

_“Celebrate what?”_

_“Are you getting old, Lou? It’s your birthday!”_

They had had that conversation only two days ago, with Harry texting him all the plans, detailed and to the point. It was really cute, seeing how much Harry put into this one special day they’d spend together - just the two of them, always only the two of them.

When Louis had turned 19, they had a little picnic in a secluded area. Harry had come with a basket of homemade food, filled to the brim with cookies, sandwiches, cake, and basically everything Louis loved. It was one of the best days of Louis’ life. Then after that, they sat and talked for so, so long, until Paul had told them to pack up and leave. Louis hoped that he didn’t catch them kissing.

After that day, it became an unspoken promise to spend each other’s birthdays together, no matter what. When Harry turned 17, Louis had invited him over for dinner at his place: pesto pasta and chicken. (Louis still failed to admit that he had to try five times to succeed). A candlelight dinner was perfect, followed by some heated action - if you know what he meant.

Slowly, as they got older, they weren’t as close as they once were. One Direction had risen to fame in a blink of an eye, and now they were on top of the world. With the public’s eye constantly on them, Management had decided to take advantage of that. That’s how Louis ended up with Eleanor and Harry with his never ending chain of girlfriends. Right off the bat, he had explained to Eleanor that it was never going to happen, and he didn’t want to be anything more but friends. Luckily, Eleanor understood and accepted it. But he knew it hurt Harry every time to see them together.

It hurt Louis too.

As the years passed by, their intimate birthday celebrations became less and less important. When Harry turned 20, Louis bought them tickets to watch a movie. Nothing like the beautiful days they had before. When Louis was 23, Harry made him dinner in a tupperware container, dropping it by and leaving because he had to meet up with Kendall. He didn’t even stay to eat dinner.

Harry might not have noticed, but Louis did. He didn’t even say “happy birthday”.

Louis guessed it all really went downhill, didn’t it?

**23:58**

2 minutes until midnight, until the start of a new day. Louis’ fingers twitched, desperately wanting to have a light smoke to take the pain off his mind. It really wasn’t like him to sit around and mope, but this was Harry! The only person who could bring such emotions to the surface.

This morning, he had woken up feeling bubbly and energetic. Harry had promised that he had the day off, so they could spend it together to make up for all these years of broken communications. He had turned on Twitter and saw all the birthday wishes he got from fans, family and the boys.

**Niall Horan (@NiallOfficial): Happy birthday @Louis_Tomlinson!! You’re officially 24 now, oldie. Hope today will be great for you! Love, your fierce Irish bear ;)**

**Liam (@LiamPayne): WOAH happy birthday @Louis_Tomlinson! Wishing you an awesome day and an awesome year!**

**zayn (@ZaynMalik): @Louis_Tomlinson, happy birthday mate! Haven’t seen you in ages, wanna meet up?**

**Harry Styles. (@Harry_Styles): Have a HAPPY BIRTHDAY @Louis_Tomlinson! Can’t believe it’s been 6 years already. Wow! Well, anyway, have a good day!**

Louis smile grew wider and wider as he read the tweets from his friends. In no time, he had responded to them and was humming. He, Louis Tomlinson, never hummed. Well, no one need know, right?

He had been looking forward to this day, because today was meant to be the start of the smoothing of Harry and Louis’ relationship. Their secret one, that is. Everyone would lose their shit if they found out.

But at exactly 17:34, Harry had texted him - not even called - that he may not be able to make it today for their planned dinner. There were no words to describe how quickly Louis’ heart dropped. One moment, it was soaring in the blue sky; the next, it had smashed a crater in the earth.

**From: Harry**

**To: Louis**

**Hey Lou, something came up so I’ll be a bit late, ok?**

Louis, his fingers trembling, had replied with a weak:

**From: Louis**

**To: Harry**

**No problem! Happens to us all, right?**

Harry hadn’t even apologised in the text. Was this his way of saying that he didn’t want to repair their relationship?

And that was why Louis had waited and waited, staring into a blank space as the hours passed. After Hour #2, he had discarded the dinner he had made, shoving it into the bin alongside the plates too. After Hour #3, he had smashed the clock, for he couldn’t bear the ticking sounds, reminding him of how late Harry was, and how he was never this late.

**23:59**

And so, here Louis was. Sitting at the forlorn table with the single, solitary candle on the little cupcake. Sighing, he grasped a lighter and lit the pink candle, watching the golden flame burst out.

Squeezing his eyes shut, he grasped his hands together. Feeling like he was 10 again, he realised how long it has been since he made a wish.

_I wish that I could tell Harry how much I love him. Maybe if I did, I wouldn’t be spending my birthday alone now. So, please, I wish for the chance to say the three words I’ve been wanting to say for as long as I’ve met him._

He opened his eyes.

Blew out the candle.

**00:00**

The day was up.

The 24th of December had come and gone.

Checked his phone. No new messages.

He felt as if his heart had been crushed.

**00:00:34**

Knocking came from the door. Who could that be? Louis thought to himself, dragging his feet to the door. Unlatching it, he pulled it open and was greeted with a pair of green eyes.

“Lou, I’m so sorry for being late!” Harry said, sounding out of breath. Louis swallowed the lump in his throat and glared.

“No. I don’t want to hear any excuses. So, would you kindly get out?” Louis snapped, wanting to slam the door in his face, then curl up and cry.

“Wait! Before you make any final decisions, could you come with me?” Harry’s voice was pleading and his eyes slightly watering.

“No Harry.”

“Please?” Louis shook his head, letting out a pained laugh, before acquiescing.

Harry took Louis’ hand and led them to the fire escape staircase. “Where are we going?” Louis asked.

“Just follow me.” And up they went, up numerous flights of stairs until they reached the top. Pushing open the door, Harry stepped aside to allow Louis to enter the roof first.

And he gasped at the sight he saw.

There were little fairy lights decorating the walls, illuminating the small space. In the middle, there was a blanket fort with many soft cushions and blankets. Louis couldn’t help the smile that began to etch across his face.

“This took you that long? I thought you forgot about me!” He exclaimed, but there was no bite in it.

Wincing, Harry bit his lip sheepishly. “I’m sorry Lou. I wanted this to be a surprise.” Harry said.

Louis turned back to face the lanky man, before he threw his arms around Harry in a grateful hug. “Thanks. But you were still really late. You could have left a message!” Louis said with a pout.

“I know, but my phone died. I’m so sorry Lou. I can’t say this enough.” Harry said, hugging him back tightly. They stood like that for a while, before Harry released his hold on Louis. Tugging gently on his shirt, he lead Louis towards the blanket fort and sat both of them down. Shifting positions, Louis cuddled into Harry’s lap, before his mind reminded him of something. He twisted around to face Harry.

“There’s something I have to say to you.”

“Yeah?”

Louis took a deep breath, and said the three words he’d been longing to say. “I love you,” Harry’s eyes twinkled and he smiled that bright smile that had made Louis fall for him a long time ago.

“I love you too.”

And that was how they spent the night together, huddling in that blanket fort, enjoying each other’s company. Deep down, Louis still hadn’t quite forgiven Harry, but why ruin this lovely night?

The stars twinkled above them.

**fin.**


End file.
